Hair dryer



fo o o o o 'i-plof Nov. 5, 1963 Filed May 2l. 1959 N.' l. BROYLES HAIR DRYER 2 Sheets-Sheet l Neva Bray/es 1N VEN TOR.

BY @www 30 a/MEM@ Nov. 5, 1963 N. l. BRoYLEs 3,109,437

l HAIR DRYER Filed May 21. 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Neva Bray/es INVENTOR.

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United States Patent O 3,109,437 HAIR DRYER Neva I. Broyles, 282 rIungsten St., Henderson, Nev. *Filed May 2l, 1959, Ser. No. $14,921 Claims. (Cl. IGZ- 9) This invention relates tto hair dryers and more particuy larly to a dryer to facilitate drying of hair by means of absorption.

An object of the invention is to provide an absorption member which may be shaped in numerous ways to serve specific duties in the drying of hair, the absorption member adapted to be placed on the hair in order to withdraw moisture from the hair and thereby materially reduce the time element in hair drying.

Briefly, the invention is embodied in a moisture absorption'substance such as cellulose, sponge, absorbing paper and the like, which is specially shaped or capable of being shaped to serve general or specific purposes in hair drying such as -fitting around pin curls, fitting over the crown of the head and many others.

The dirlerent hair styles require slightly different trea ment and configurations of dryers in accordance with this invention. Although the configuration will vary in accordance with the specific use, each configuration contributes to the same end result of reducing the time of drying the hair after the hair is set or other-wise treated. The result is that the discomfort of heat application by holt air dryers, blowers and the like is avoided.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE l is a perspective view of a dryer used for the drying of a hair curl.

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the dryer in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is an end View of the device in FIGURE 1 prior to rolling.

FIGURE 5 is a plan View of the device shown in FIG- URE 4, parts being broken away to illustrate an otherwise hidden detail of construction.

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of another dryer used to fit over the crown of the head.

FIGURE 7 is a bottom view of the dryer in FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 8 -is an enlarged sectional View taken on the line 8--8 of FIGURE 7.

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary elevational View showing a pad used with ythe dryer in FIGURE l.

In the accompanying drawings FIGURES l-5 show dryer 4, its construction and method of use. Dryer l is specially designed to be used for rolling of a hair curl. Dryer 4, as all other dryers illustrated in the drawings, is made from a highly absorbent substance which is used to absorb the moisture from the hair. There are a number of commercially available substances which will serve this purpose, among which are highly absorbent paper or paper materials, cellulose such as that used in the production of synthetic Sponges, certain natural Sponges of correct quality and texture and others.

Dryer 4 is made of a coil spring-like frame 6 of metal or plastic on which a reusable or disposable pad il is wound. Pad 8 may be a single ply absorbent panel or made of a mesh ply `le with one or yrnore apertured plies Il adhered thereto. The hair is rolled onto pad S, and where there is -a flat panel l2 capable of being rolled into a cylindrical formation (FIGURE l). Thereafter ICC the panel is fastened in place on the lock of' hair by the elongate bendable tabs 16 which are connected with panel i2 and extend beyond two edges of panel I2.

structurally, panel 12 is made of an absorbent pad of essentially rectangular shape (FIGURE 5), and there are a number of air passages l in the forni of numerous perforations in the panel. rllwo longitudinal ribs Zit and Z2 rise from the outer surface of panel 12 and they are at opposing edges ofthe panel. Wire or plastic mesh screen 24 is embedded in panel l2 between the upper and lower surfaces thereof to furnish body and a workable, limited stiffness to the panel. Elongate metallic strips 3@ which are parallel, are embedded in panel l2 between the upper and lower surfaces thereof `and they are adapted -to be placed over frame 6 in attaching the panel in place as a cylindrical cover for frame 6. Transverse bendable metallic strip 32, as are strips Sil, is attached to the ends of strips 39. The ends of strip 32 form Itabs I6 by which to bend over and into the bore of frame 6 to thereby clinch panel 3.2 onto the frame.

In use and operation, the hair lock is wound around pad 8 on frame e in order -to form the curl. Thereafter panel l2 is placed over the hair and fastened in place as described previously. 'Ihe absorption characteristic of panel IZ and pad 3 draws moisture from the hair' to facilitate drying the hair. Air circulation is permitted through the numerous passages It; and through the ends of the frame 6 and the panel I2 when the panel 12 is in a cylindrical formation as shown in FIGURE l.

FIGURES 6-8 disclose a very important dryer Sil. Dryer t) is an essentially concave-convex body to it over the crown of the head and to be placed over damp pin curls or other hair arrangements. The dryer d@ is made of absorbent material the same as all other dryers disclosed herein, and it has a plastic or wire mesh screen 32 embedded between the upper and lower surfaces of the panel 84 from which the body is made. A number of air passages composed of apertures 86 are dispersed throughout the panel 84 for free circulation of air. A plurality of stand-olf projections S3 are made integral with the inner surface of panel 84 in order to contact vthe hair and act as wicks to withdraw moisture from the crown of the head and .thereby `further hasten drying. A number of elongate recesses 9? open through the outer surface of panel 84 at the edge thereof in order to receive conventional hair fasteners as bobby pins rto engage the hair at spaced intervals.

In all disclosed dryers the edges may be reinforced by a nylon thread or by molding a stiffer edge thereon. Further, it is intended that all of the dryers can be used in two Ways. One is as a permanent possession that is to be used over and over again, and the other is :as a ldisposable item. When constructed of highly absorbent cotton or cotton-like substance covered with cheesecloth or the like, the dryers may be made very cheaply. The same holds true for blotting pape'ihmaterial from which the dryers may `be made. In fact, any of the materials discussed herein are inexpensive enough so that a-ny or all of the dryers may be used as disposable items.

:lhe foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be restored to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

l. A dryer for rapidly drying wet'hair, the `dryer cornprising a flexible panel of absorbent material, said panel having a stifi'ening strip therein with the ends of the strip a protruding beyond the edges of the panel and constituting bendable tabs, a reinforcing and stiiiening member within said panel, said panel having a plurality of perforations therein to facilitate air circulation, said panel being bendable, a generally cylindrical coil spring-like pin curl frame, said panel being wound about said frame and adapted to sandwich hair between the inner surface of the panel and said frame, said tabs being removably bent over the ends of the frame and holding the panel in an essentially cylindrical formation thereon.

2. A dryer for rapidly dryingT wet hair, the dryer cornprising a flexible panel of absorbent material, said panel having a stiffening strip therein with the ends of the strip protruding beyond the edges of the panel and constituting bendable tabs, Va reinforcing and stitening member within said panel, said panel having a plurality of perforations therein to facilitate air circulation, said panel being bendable, a generally cylindrical coil spring-like pin curl lframe, said panel being wound about said frame and adapted to sandwich hair between the inner surface of the panel and said frame, said tabs being removably bent over the ends of the frame and holding the panel in an essentially `cylindrical formation thereon, elongate ribs at the edges of said panel.

3. A dryer for rapidly drying wet hair, said dryer comprising a exible panel of absorbent spongeous material,

said panel'having a plurality of air passages formed therethrough to facilitate circulation of air through said panel, said panel being adapted to `be disposed in surfaceto-surface conta-cting relation with locks of wet hair and to absorb water from the locks whereby air passing through said air passages will cause the water absorbed by said panel and disposed about said air passages to be evaporated thereby enabling further water to be absorbed 'by said panel and move therethrough toward said air passages by capillary action and thereafter be evaporated, said air passages being spaced uniformly throughout the area of said panel and each `being of a cross-sectional area considerably greater :than the inherent pores in said spongeous panel, and a stiff but eXible screen-like backing embedded in saidV flexible panel, extending substantially throughout the full plan area or" said panel, and dividing the panel into two plies between which said backing is sandwiched in order to add body to -the panel, whereby water in one ply may move therefrom through the screen-like backing and into the other ply restingV thereagainst through the voids in the backing by capillary action.

4. The dryer of claim 3 wherein, said dryer comprises a concave-convex panel, said concavo-convex panel adapted to be supportedV above the crown of the head, a plurality of projections extending from the concave sur- -iface of said panel and adapted to abut the hair on the head of Jthe user to form wicks by which moisture is drawn into said concavo-eonvex panel.

5. The dryer or" claim 3 wherein said flexible screenlike backing has air passages formed therethrough conforming to the general size and shape of the first-mentioned openings and registered therewith.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,284,676 Hill Nov. 12, 1918 2,063,260 Nclnitosh et al. Dec. 8, 1936 2,166,386 Auster July 18, 1939 2,400,102 Casieri May 14, 1946 2,481,448 Schiller Sep-t. 6, 1949 2,497,361 Farmer Feb. 14, 2,806,910 Seyiarth luly 30, 1957 

3. A DRYER FOR RAPIDLY DRYING WET HAIR, SAID DRYER COMPRISING A FLEXIBLE PANEL OF ABSORBENT SPONGEOUS MATERIAL, SAID PANEL HAVING A PLURALITY OF AIR PASSAGES FORMED THERETHROUGH TO FACILIATE CIRCULATION OF AIR THROUGH SAID PANEL, SAID PANEL BEING ADAPTED TO BE DISPOSED IN SURFACETO-SURFACE CONTACTING RELATION WITH LOCKS OF WET HAIR AND TO ABSORB WATER FROM THE LOCKS WHEREBY AIR PASSING THROUGH SAID AIR PASSAGES WILL CAUSE THE WATER ABSORBED BY SAID PANEL AND DISPOSED ABOUT SAID AIR PASSAGES TO BE EVAPORATED THEREBY ENABLING FURTHER WATER TO BE ABSORBED BY SAID PANEL AND MOVE THERETHROUGH TOWARD SAID AIR PASSAGES BY CAPILLARY ACTION AND THEREAFTER BE EVAPORATED, SAID AIR PASSAGES BEING SPACED UNIFORMLY THROUGHOUT THE AREA OF SAID PANEL AND EACH BEING OF A CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA CONSIDERABLY GREATER THAN THE INHERENT PORES IN SAID SPONGEOUS PANEL, AND A STIFF BUT FLEXIBLE SCREEN-LIKE BACKING EMBEDDED IN SAID FLEXIBLE PANEL, EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY THROUGHOUT THE FULL PLAN AREA OF SAID PANEL, AND DIVIDING THE PANEL INTO TWO PLIES BETWEEN WHICH SAID BACKING IS SANDWICHED IN ORDER TO ADD BODY TO THE PANEL, WHEREBY WATER IN ONE PLY MAY MOVE THEREFROM THROUGH THE SCREEN-LIKE BACKING AND INTO THE OTHER PLY RESTING THEREAGAINST THROUGH THE VOIDS IN THE BACKING BY CAPILLARY ACTION. 